Down to Earth-part IV
by silverwolf
Summary: and now the (not-too-big) finale...


Phoebe stood gazing across the endless expanse of dry red plain. Piper was still tending to Prue. She felt a tear of hopelessness roll down her cheek. Had something happened to Leo? What had happened to Cole?

She turned, resignedly, to look at Piper. Then she felt strong arms wrap around her. A warm, familiar voice whispered in her ear. "Hey, Phoebe."

"Cole…" 

"Shh. I'm here to bring you girls home."

She twisted around to plant a kiss on his lips. "Take Prue back. She needs Leo's help." Then she saw the ominous darkness in his eyes.

"Leo's lost his powers, Phoebe. That's why I'm here." He loosened his grip on her and knelt beside Prue. "I don't even know if I can bring you back. I've never carried someone else with me before…"

"Try, Cole. Please?" He nodded and picked Prue up in his arms. Then he shimmered and disappeared.

Piper glanced at her younger sister admiringly. "I think you got your wish when you wanted someone as good as Leo." Phoebe laughed merrily. Now that Cole was okay, everything would be fine.

"And to think we were going to vanquish him!"

Leo was sitting on the couch, his head hanging, and thinking himself as utterly useless when Cole returned with Prue.

"This witch needs your help," the smooth tenor voice said. He looked up. 

"I can't help. I'm a nobody." He returned to staring at his sneakers with a self-disgusted expression on his face. He felt indebted to the former demon for being able to bring back the girls, but he couldn't show it through his depression.

"Look, the least you can do is bring her to a hospital," Cole pointed out. "And somehow we'll figure out a way to regain your powers." Leo shook his head.

"Even if I did bring her to the hospitals, we'd have to answer too many questions. There's no way to explain her condition."

"Easy. She's tired, she accidentally touched an electrical wire…" Cole rambled on for a few more moments. "Just take care of her. I'll go bring back our girls."

Leo straightened before the demon could leave and rested his hand on Cole's sleeve. "Thanks, Cole. You're really not that bad, for a demon."

"And you, Whitelighter, aren't as awful as you seem." Balthezor smiled, the friendly grin spreading to his hazel eyes. Then he turned and dissipated.

Phoebe was waiting for Cole when he returned. "Get Piper," she said as he took a step toward her. "You have no idea how she'll help Leo," she explained.

He smiled warmly. "Oh, yes I do," he murmured, looking at her through shining, tear-filled eyes. Piper stood and took his hand, and both shimmered away.

Phoebe gazed at the spot where they'd stood, a dreamy expression floating across her face. "I love you, Cole."

"Leo." He raised his head to see Piper standing in front of him, her dark eyes comforting, felt her sit down beside him where he knelt beside Prue. Then her arm went around his shoulder and he leaned his head against hers.

"I lost my power trying to help Cole," he said miserably.

"I know. They aren't the fairest guys around, Leo. But we have to do what we can with Them. They just don't realize that sometimes in the midst of evil there can be good." She held him close as he wept, just as he had done for her so many times before. "It's none of your fault, Leo. If anyone's, it's Theirs."

"And now I can't even help Prue." He stiffened in her arms. "She needs my help, Piper. I can't just bring her to a hospital anywhere, we'd have to think up some explanation." She hugged him tightly, then ran her fingers through his short blond hair. 

"Come on, we can at least get her some ice or something." She pulled him to his feet and began to head for the kitchen.

"No need, Piper." Prue's voice came clear, though weak, from the cushions. "I'm fine. After vanquishing demons and being fried, though, I get a little thirsty. Can you just get me some water?"

Leo smiled at her, then turned to Piper. "I guess losing my powers isn't half as bad, after all." At her questioning glance, he explained, "I don't have to do errands for Them anymore. Now that I'm no longer a Whitelighter, I think we can get married without interference." Piper smiled and kissed him, then pulled him along behind her to fetch a glass of water for Prue.


End file.
